Back when I Was Dead
by Chaimera
Summary: Hermione was dead. Now she's back and she's got a mission. Only one man can help her. Guess who? Abandoned. Please see profile.
1. A Predicament

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything Harry Potter related, including the two fab people this story is about. I am merely borrowing them from J.K Rowling's giant toy box of greatness and will return them undamaged......they may have some chocolate stains on them though.

Hiya folks.

Well here you go. A brand new piece of fiction from me. I have no beta so any spelling or grammar mistakes are my own.

More midnight plot bunny attacks for this one. Damn them. They are cunning and evil. A deadly combination.............

Back When I Was Dead.

By Chaimera

Chapter 1: A Predicament.

"Well this is a predicament isn't it?"

"How is it, Albus, that you possess the mind boggling talent to understate everything?"

"You know my dear, that is disrespect to your superiors." He looked at the young woman before him with a twinkle in his eyes.

"It's been five yea....oh shut up you old goat." Hermione glared at her former headmaster as he chuckled good-naturedly.

"Really Albus this isn't funny, and you shouldn't tease Hermione." Came a new voice. The pair turned to see a young couple.

The woman who had spoken stepped forward. "Don't take any notice of him Hermione, he never changes."

Hermione frowned. "I noticed. No matter what he doesn't change." She paused for a moment looking into the pool the four were standing beside. "But really, this is serious. Something has to be done, now."

Now the young man came forward putting his arm around his young wife's waist. "Hermione and Lily are right Albus. This isn't going to be solved be a lemon drop and a few well placed hints."

Albus nodded slowly stroking his long white beard and staring into the pool himself. "Well, I have been discussing this with fate and she agrees whole heartedly with me."

The other three rolled their eyes.

"And what exactly is this brilliant plan of yours. Fate has been known to make mistakes you know!!" Grumbled Hermione glancing over to where a wraith like beauty looked into another pool.

Albus smiled lightly at the frustrated young woman.

"She is truly sorry you know Hermione. It wasn't entirely her fault."

"Oh so she just accidentally got me killed, right? Oops." Hermione threw her arms up and began to pace around the pool glowering.

James smiled and pulled his wife to him. "You think five years of being dead would have calmed that temper." Lily stifled a giggle as she watched the young woman glare at fate who was currently picking flowers.

"You know, she reminds me of Severus when she does that." Hermione's head snapped around and Albus laughed.

She sighed resignedly. "Well Albus. What's this undoubtedly crackpot scheme you two have come up with this time?"

"We need to send someone back."

James frowned "You mean like a ghost?"

"No. Send them back. Cause them to live once again. Play God, if you will."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you used to do that anyway?"

James smirked. "Witty today aren't we?"

"Careful James. Or I'll go to Harry in a dream and tell him what a git his father really is."

Lily ignored the bickering pair and turned to Albus. "Two questions."

"Yes, my dear?"

"Well one: Isn't sending someone back extremely dangerous and against nature? And two: Who?" James and Hermione stopped fighting, wanting to hear the answers.

"Well firstly, yes it is quite dangerous to the person's soul and obviously they have a choice. As for nature, it can be rearranged, just this once."

There was a contemplative silence and of course it was Hermione's curious voice that broke it. "Well who is it? Don't keep us in suspense."

"You."

"Excuse me." The look on her face was almost comical.

"You Hermione. You aren't supposed to be here anyway. You seemed the logical choice."

She paused deep in thought. "Alright. Let's do it."

Lily frowned in concern. "Hermione are you sure about this? Your soul could get lost forever. Or worse, destroyed."

She shrugged. "Hey anything's better than hanging around here. At least you guys get to go to heaven or wherever that bloody portal goes. Besides," She smiled at the couple.

"Harry would be proud of me. So, when do I go? And for that matter where do I go?"

Albus smiled back at her. "I am glad you decided to go dear. As for where, I have decided that the safest place you should go, because you know you can't let anyone even Harry, see you..."

"Out with it Albus."

"You will be with Severus."

"What?!?"

Lily placed a calming hand on her friends shoulder. "Albus are you sure that's wise. When he finds her Severus will try to hex her into oblivion."

Hermione scowled. "I can take him, its just I can't stand the greasy git!"

Lily grinned. "I take it back Albus. Severus is perfect."

Hermione sighed. "The whole universe is against me. I knew it."

Albus' face set. "Are you ready for this Hermione? From what I hear it's not pleasant."

"Albus, I've already been killed once. I think I'll be ok."

He looked down and Hermione rolled her eyes. "We've been over this already Albus. Many times. It was not your fault. Everyone else was to busy with the final battle. And we won too. So there's nothing to worry about. Of course I'm still sore about dieing in the first place, but I blame the bad guys. Now let's get this show on the road."

Lily came up and hugged her. "Be careful down there."

"Will do. Thanks for everything Lily."

James came up behind his wife. "Well Granger, can't say I'm going to miss you."

Hermione grinned. "Sod off, Potter."

They shook hands and she turned to Albus.

"Well, thank you sir."

"Don't be silly Hermione. You've always been quite dear to me....Enough. This is not goodbye, merely farewell."

The three once again rolled their eyes. "You are quite cliché Albus, did you know that?"

Hermione smiled. "Well, guess its time to go for a swim. Bye."

With that Hermione Granger, 22 years old, five years dead stepped in to a shallow pool of water and disappeared.

James laughed suddenly. "What is so amusing?"

"I just can't wait to see the look on Snivelus' face when he finds her...ouch. Lily what was that for?"

Severus Snape sat upright in his bed as a silent alarm went off in his head. It was triggered by one of the many wards he had around his classroom and entrance to his personal chambers. There was someone here that wasn't supposed to be. The question racing through his mind was who?

No student could have gotten past his wards and that left some distinctly unpleasant alternatives to his midnight visitor.

He had been having the oddest dream. Albus Dumbledore had been there. He had told Severus that something very bad had happened but he had sent someone to help. It was odd that he dreamed at all, ever.

He grabbed his wand and a robe and headed down the passageway towards his office and private store, as he moved quietly towards his classroom he could hear someone moving about. Looking for something, he thought. But he wasn't working on anything of particular importance or value at the moment.

He listened intently, hearing a voice. It was definitely a woman.

"Ohh, bloody fuck, Merlin's balls. Old sod didn't say it was going to be this sore. Bastard. Where the fuck is it? Jesus Christ on crutches! You'd think the greasy git had some bloody pain killer potion like any respected potions master. Heh, right. Snape, respected. Not by me. Ha.... Owww, fuck!"

Severus' blood was boiling. This was obviously a student or at least a former student. All of the staff knew better than to break in to his rooms in the middle of the night. He slowly approached the intruder.

"That is quite enough." He bellowed in his best formidable death eater voice.

The crouched figure froze but did not turn. She was in black robes he noted and assumed she was a student.

"I will not have students breaking into my stores in the dead of the night, I will not tolerate that kind of language in this school, and I assure you, I am quite a respected Potions Master miss...."

He hauled her to her feet and spun her around.

The firey eyes he found himself staring into he had been sure he would never see again. He shoved her against the wall but let go of her as though he had been burned.

"What black arts is this?"

Her head hit the wall as he pushed her away and she cried out in pain. She clutched her head and glared at the glowering potions master whose wand was pointed at her chest.

"None you ruddy git. Ow, fuck. Well, this is the bloody return I get, huh? No 'welcome back Hermione, Nice to see you Hermione, Good to see that you're not dead Hermione'. Nope I get a splitting head ache."

Severus frowned. "Who are you?"

"Who do you think I am? The tooth fairy? Merlin. Have you got any pain killers or what?"

"I don't believe you."

She sighed and rested against wall rubbing her temples. "I should have expected this I suppose. I'm sorry. Just let me get my head together Professor."

_I have to be dreaming still _Thought Severus.

Hermione looked at him. "Do you really want to hear this now? You look like you could use some coffee. In fact I could use some coffee." Severus just growled.

"Right. Proof of identity. Well, I, Hermione Granger, previously deceased have been sent to you by Albus Dumbledore to prevent the fall of the Wizarding world..... again."

Severus had a shocked look on his face but had not yet lowered his wand. "My dream..Albus...but.."

Hermione interrupted him "So that's how he told you. I was wondering how he was going to warn so you didn't hex back to the twelfth century. If you need further proof, I have this." She rolled up the sleeve of her robe to expose her right fore arm. On it was a burn scar.

It had happened in her seventh year. Albus had ordered the pair to work together on a potion that would negate the effect of the imperius curse. One of the evenings Harry Potter had come looking for her. He had rushed in and in the process upset the substance she was working with and it had spilled. Due to the volatile properties of the ingredients healing charms could not be used on the burn and she had been scarred for life. Severus had given Harry detention with Filch for a month. Because the potion was top secret no one else knew what had happened or even the nature of her injury.

It was enough to prove her identity he knew, but Severus had to be sure. He motioned her towards his office without a word and she went. He grabbed a piece of parchment off his desk and taped it with his wand. The marauders map had been replicated during the war, only without the insults. He glanced at the area of the map that represented his office and sure enough standing behind the dot that was labelled _Severus Snape_ was the dot labelled _Hermione Granger_.

Hold on.

Behind? He spun around to face Hermione who smirked at him.

"Still don't trust me Professor? Well I do hope that helped." She gestured towards the map and took a seat in front of his desk.

He sat behind it and rested his chin on steepld fingers. "Her...Miss Granger."

She looked at him expectantly. "Yes Professor?"

"Why exactly, are you here?"

She opened her mouth to answer but stopped suddenly looking distraught.

"Miss Granger? What is the matter?"

She looked at him. "I can't remember."

"Ahh." Said James as he looked in to the pool with a frown.

"Oh dear." Murmured Lily with a worried look at Albus.

"Yes. Well, this is an.... unexpected side effect."

"An unexpected side effect of what?"

"Well you see, when myself and Fate were talking, well...."

Several minuets later James and Lily stared at their former teacher and close friend in utter shock. James was the first to speak.

"Albus you really can be a meddling old fool sometimes, did you know that? What possessed you?"

Lily jutted in. "You know we have the utmost respect for you Albus, and I appreciate that you want them both to be happy, but you could have seriously jeopardised the whole thing. You know better than to trust fate. She's flighty. The littlest think can change her mind."

James sighed. "Well, all we can do is watch and hope it works."

End Chap.

Muahahacough...ahem. Anyway. What did you all think. Was it fabulous? Should I go throw myself off a bridge due to the awfulness of my writing skills? My fate rests in your hands. Review, you know you want to.

Much Grá Lads.


	2. So, How Have You Been?

Disclaimer: See first chapter. And did I mention I live in a box?

Hi. Thanks much for the brilliant reaction to the first chapter.

Lisa – Never. That would be horrendous. I would never neglect this stor(like I have some of my other, Ulp)

And of course all hail my mighty beta Aoibheann and her fabulous fabulousness.

Well here it is guys. Enjoy.

Chapter 2: So, How have you been?

"What do you mean you can't remember?"

Severus wasn't sure how much more of this he could take. First he'd had a most cryptic and unprecedented dream in which Albus Dumbledore had come to him telling him something bad was going to happen. Second, Hermione Granger, former Gryffindor know-it-all and formerly dead, had turned up in his classroom at half past three in the morning and managed to repeat the warning that Albus given him in the dream. Thirdly, the bloody chit had the nerve to turn up and then not remember why she was here.

Of all the nerve...

Severus gave himself a mental slap. He was jumping ahead of himself. The fact that Hermione Granger was currently sitting in a seat in his office looking decidedly distraught was a wonder in itself.

While Severus had been mentally reviewing the last fifteen minutes, Hermione had been muttering distractedly to herself. 'This shouldn't be happening.' That she could remember clearly.

She decided to do a mental inventory:

She could not get to heaven. No, that was of no use, but at least she could remember it.

James Potter could be a real git at times. Also useless information

She was annoyed with someone but she wasn't sure whom. It had something to do with her death. She could come back to that later.

Albus said she'd be staying with Snape, she couldn't let anyone see her, and they had a time frame of about two and a half months in which to accomplish...something.

This was all good, but no matter how hard she tried she could not remember what had happened that was so dire.

'A predicament' Albus had called it.

She snorted to herself. Well they were certainly in trouble now.

"I fail to see what could possibly be so humours, Miss Granger."

If this had been nine years ago, Hermione would have been terrified by the tone the potions master's silky voice held. Hell, if this had been five years ago she would have been scared, but somehow being dead kind of took the edge off most irrational fears.

She looked up at him.

"I'm sorry Sir. I was just recalling something that Albus...I mean Professor Dumbledore, had said just before I left." She corrected herself at the stern stare she had received from the potions master.

Ok, so maybe he still scared her just a little.

He sighed, clearly irritated,"Miss Granger, though I was not pleased at your death, you were one less annoyance in my life. Now that you have successfully managed to worm your way inexplicably back in, is there anything of relevance or importance that you can relate to me at this time?"

Her mind was boggled by the fact that one man could be so callous and heartless. For a Slytherin, the overgrown bat possessed no tact.

She looked at him icily, "Well, Professor," she said in a sickly sweet voice, stressing his title slightly, "obviously the situation is dire or else we wouldn't have taken the risk of bringing me back..."

"What risk?"

"...I cant remember, I just know that it was a dangerous attempt but it shouldn't have resulted in memory loss. Anyway, please don't interrupt..."

He glowered at her from behind his desk but motioned for her to continue.

"I do know that we have about two and a half months to try and find out what is happening. Albus was the one who sent me to you so we can't change that and I cannot be seen. By anyone. Which means we're stuck together for the time being."

_Oh joyous rapture_, thought the potions master sarcastically as he surveyed the woman before him.

She shrugged off her robes to reveal a pair of faded blue jeans and a black tank top, both of which hugged her curvy figure. He wasn't quite sure how she got the clothes since she had been dead but he wasn't about to object.

She sighed deciding that right now, it was useless to try to figure anything out. It was early morning and he was still getting over the fact that she was alive again.

She looked out the window forlornly, "So Professor, how have you been?"

He was still distracted as he appraised her looks and tried to come to grips with the fact she was back.

"Alright I suppose. And yourself?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him. She noticed he still appeared distracted by her arrival. She laughed at his offhand comment. The rich sound of her laugh brought him out of his stupor.

"And what prey tell is so funny?"

She raised her eyebrow again. "How have I been Professor? I've been dead."

He had the decency to look mildly embarrassed at the slip up.

"But thank you. I haven't had much to laugh about in the last five years."

He frowned. "Yes, well. Miss Granger, it is three in the morning and I have classes in a few very short hours, so if you please...."

Her smile quickly disappeared and when it did he felt disappointed. Severus mentally shook himself. Her sudden resurrection had obviously thrown him. She looked out the window again, a sad look on her face.

"Of course, um...where will I sleep?"

He stood up and opened a door that led to his chambers. They arrived in a large sitting room.

"For tonight you'll have to sleep on the couch. We will make other arrangements in the morning. You may transfigure some cushions into what you need."

And with that, Severus Snape was gone, leaving Hermione alone in his large cold sitting room.

"But, I don't have a wand anymore," she spoke into the darkness.

Hermione groped her way to the couch and stared into the softly glowing embers that were the only light in the room. She felt a tear roll down her cheek but quickly brushed it away. She was tougher than this!!

As she watched the last ember fade and die a thought struck her. She scurried across the floor towards the fire. Concentrating hard she faced her hand towards the fireplace.

"_Incendio,_" she said, quietly but forcefully.

A small fire erupted in the grate and she grinned.

Severus Snape lay in his bed desperately trying to sort through al the information that he had taken in over the last hour what he sussed out was the following:

Something really Bad was going to happen.

They only had two and a half months to stop the aforementioned Bad Thing.

'They' consisted of himself and the formerly dead Hermione Granger.

The aforementioned Hermione Granger was an incredibly attractive woman...........Stop!

Stop right there. MISS Granger was a former student, an insufferable know-it-all and a Gryffindor to boot. There was no way in this lifetime he would ever consider sleeping with her.

Hold it.

He was considering sleeping with her?

Severus could feel a full-blown migraine coming on. For the second time that night he bolted upright in bed. He could hear tiny explosions coming from the sitting room.

He stormed out of his bedchamber and into the sitting room.

"Miss Granger, did I not make it clear that I wanted to SLEEP?" he roared as he dodged a small firework.

She turned and looked embarrassed. She waved her hand and the fireworks vanished. His eyes widened.

"Wandless Magic?"

Hermione grinned. "A perk I guess. You see, having been dead I had no wand."

Severus cringed inside. He should have thought of that before heading to bed and leaving his 'guest' to her own devices.

"I was cold and it was dark so I tried wandless magic and it turned out to be pretty easy. I was just practicing. I'm sorry. I'll let you get to sleep now."

He nodded curtly and once again swept from the room. Hermione smiled to herself. When he was broody like that, he was really quite sexy.

She transfigured a large soft duvet and some pillows and lay down on the couch. Despite popular opinion, death was not the 'big sleep' it was cracked up to be.

And she was knackered.

End Chap.

Well is it the bridge for me or not. If you review lots I will attempt to clone Alan Rickman and give you all a copy!!!

Slán lads!!


	3. Comfort

Disclaimer: See first chapter

Hello. I have returned. Alan Rickman clones and a big thank you shall be given to the following:

Pathatlon : Thanks much. Nice to know I'm not alone in my messed up sense of humour.

Lisa: How about it replaces that statue. I never liked that statue.

Miss3y: More eh?

angelusdream: Thanks.

Keller789: Wow, you just turn up everywhere don't you? And yes. Yes you may.

Arrgh, the back to school-ness of it all. I'm in my Leaving Cert year, so there might be a bit of a delay between postings and for this I apologise profusely in advance.

It gets a bit more serious from here on in but I hope there's still some laughs to be found.

_Italics_ denote thoughts and memories, which can be construed as thoughts come to think of it.

Chapter Three: Comfort.

Severus Snape lay on his bed praying for sleep to come, but it didn't look like the gods of sleep were going to be obliging him tonight. His mind was preoccupied with the recently un-deceased Hermione Granger, who was currently lying on his couch less than ten meters away.

Her death had been a blow to practically half of the wizarding world. The most promising mind in decades destroyed just as things were getting better.

Potter and all of the Weasley clan were in mourning for months. The staff of Hogwarts (including himself, though he would never admit it) had been deeply saddened by the loss. Minerva had taken it the hardest and had even set up a scholarship fund named after the bushy haired know-it-all.

He sighed and rolled over, trying to get comfortable but it was in vain. The images of the last battle haunted him and he knew that they would not relent...at least not anytime soon. Severus could remember the whole thing with painful clarity.

_The battle was over. They had won. The Dark Lord was gone forever. The majority of the death eaters had been killed, including the entire inner circle. _

_Dumbledore had been killed two days earlier but still they had triumphed without his presence despite Voldemort's prediction of victory for the dark. Potter had collapsed by the body of his foe, weeping with relief, his best friend at his side clutching him tightly. Weasley looked around as people began to rejoice. "Where's Hermione?" Severus had heard the boy mutter as he had stalked through the battlefield. He was in no humour to celebrate with these fools. The only thing he needed to celebrate with was a decent bottle of fire whiskey. _

_He walked through the forest towards the warmth and privacy of Hogwarts. He could still hear the cheers from the battlefield beyond the forest. _

_The forest was dark. _

_There was nothing unusual about that, but tonight the smell of death had permeated every inch of the forest. Severus knew that smell well, and he detested it. _

_He continued walking, stepping over the bodies of death eaters and aurors alike. Once everyone else had realised the losses on both sides they would come. They would begin searching the forest and other surrounding areas. Then came the task of identifying and clearing away the dead. But Severus knew the area would always have that lingering smell of death and decay. It was inevitable. This would no longer be a peaceful and pristine place._

_He was relieved that the battle had never seen the main grounds of Hogwarts where the students would live and learn. They would not have to feel as if they were walking over a mass grave. _

_Severus could see the lights of the castle through the trees. Only ten more minutes and he would be well on his way to being absolutely smashed. He paused and looked around him. Not much of the battle had reached this far. He could see the bodies of three death eaters, all killed by the Killing Curse. He caught sight of a hand sticking out from behind a bush near where the three death eaters had fallen. He glanced at the hand, noting that it was a woman's hand. Some of her nails had been broken in the struggle and it was partially covered in blood. A sliver claddagh ring was on her ring finger. He walked towards the bush to find out who the dead woman was, Weasley's words echoing in him mind ominously. _

_He bent down and found himself looking at the body of Hermione Granger. He knelt down by her form covering her nakedness with his cloak. He gently pushed some of her bloody hair away from her face where tears had cut tracks through the blood and dirt. Her eyes were closed and she had a strangely peaceful look on her face. Her wand was clutched in her hand. He grasped it and muttered "Finite Incantatum". _

_As he suspected, Avada Kedavra had been the last spell cast from her wand. She had obviously disposed of her attackers and then bled to death, unable to move. Severus had taken stock of her wounds. It had been apparent that she had been tortured and raped. _

_He took her lifeless body into his arms and began towards the castle. The sense of injustice was almost overpowering. What power saw it fit to destroy such a promising life as Hermione Granger's but let him, a man who had done unspeakable things in his short lifetime, survive with only minor injuries? His anger was almost palpable as he entered the deserted entrance hall. _

_He headed towards the hospital wing cradling Hermione's cold form in his arms. _

_Severus didn't quite know why he felt sad. The damnnable Gryffindor had plagued and annoyed him for her entire seven years in Hogwarts. Even after she graduated she seemed to be an almost constant presence in his life. _

_She had turned up in the oddest places during those five years between her graduating and her death. More than once he had found her in the potions lab claiming that she couldn't sleep and that she had had an idea. Those ideas frequently turned out to be strokes of genius. _

_On a few occasions he had found her asleep in the library at insane hours of the morning. _

_Twice he had woken up in the infirmary to see her sitting by his bedside face buried in a book. On both occasions he had bellowed at her to leave his sight. _

_But now, as he placed her broken body on a bed in the infirmary, he felt as if a part of his soul had been torn out. Poppy was obviously still tending to the wounded on the battlefield. Severus looked down on Hermione Granger for what he thought was the last time. He slipped the silver ring of her finger, clenching it in his fist and left the room. _

Severus shook his head, attempting to banish the memories that had haunted him for five years.

_But she's back now._ He thought feeling an unfamiliar joy welling up in the void she had left in his soul. He drifted into a light sleep, thoughts not leaving the young woman in the room down the hall.

Hermione tossed on the couch that was serving as her bed, tying to get to sleep for the first time in five years.

Her thoughts wandered to the man who owned the couch. "No." She said aloud to herself. "Crush or no crush, we will not go there!!"

She nodded and buried herself further under the duvet, slowly falling into a fretful sleep.

Severus grabbed his wand, as he was forced awake for the third time that night. He could hear screaming coming from the sitting room. He resigned himself to the fact that he was never going to get any sleep as he hurried towards the screams. . He entered the room to see Hermione thrashing around on the couch, clearly still asleep.

He put his wand away and knelt beside the couch. If she kept up like this she'd awaken the whole castle as well as Hogsmeade. He caught her hand just before it made painful contact with his face and pulled her up. Grabbing her by the shoulders he shook her.

"Miss Granger!"

When she failed to awaken he shook her again. "Hermione."

Her eyes snapped open.

He started at the look of fear and pain as she attempted to remember where she was. Her eyes darted around the room and finally landed on his face.

"Oh...I...shit."

She suddenly dissolved into tears, sobs wracking her body. Her arms were flung around Severus and her face was buried in his chest. Severus was surprised but his arms tentatively went around her in return. He moved up onto the couch where Hermione ended up cradled in his lap, her head on his shoulder. It took a long time for the tears to stop and dry sobs still shook her body. He listened as her breathing levelled out and looked down at her prone form in _his_ arms. Nope, he definitely wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

But despite all that he did sleep, falling into slumber shortly after Hermione did. And he slept quite well, come to that.

Both Severus and Hermione awoke several hours later to a loud banging on Severus' door. Hermione groaned not wanting to be disturbed from her comfortable position in Severus' arms. Severus had similar thoughts but they both jumped when they heard Minerva McGonagall's voice shout from beyond said door.

"Severus? Severus, I know you're in there! Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Shit," he muttered groggily.

Hermione nodded. "Right. You answer that. I'll be under the bed if you need me." With that she disappeared in to his bedroom.

"Right," he muttered, stalking towards the door.

He opened the door to a rather angry Minerva. "Head Mistress, what can I do for you this morning?"

McGonagall glared at him. "Yes you could say that Severus, except that it is nearly afternoon!" She gestured towards the clock on his mantle.

"Ahh. I see. I apologise. I had a rather unsettling night and did not get much sleep."

She looked at him closely. "Hmm, yes. You do look a little peaked Severus. Maybe you should get Madame Lovegood to take a look at you."

"I would not that crazy medi-witch near me with a spoon let alone a wand," said Severus, glaring at Minerva.

Minerva scowled. "Really Severus. She is a fully qualified medi-witch."

"Doesn't stop her from being completely crackers."

"Well, you've missed your only classes of the day so you might as well go back to bed Severus. But see this doesn't happen again. Although, Severus, I must say that you did make the students' day," she said with a smirk.

"Thank you Minerva. It won't happen again," he muttered through clenched teeth.

He closed the door and headed for the bedroom but Hermione met him at the door.

"So, Luna's the new medi-witch? That must be interesting," she said.

"She's an incompetent and crazy wench."

"Such kind words you use," Hermione stated as he brushed past her.

"If you'll excuse me I'm going to have a shower."

'_Do you want company?' _she thought, then shook her head"Severus?" He turned to her. "I...I just wanted to thank you for last night. For keeping me company. It meant a lot."

'_It was a pleasure I've longed for, for years,' _he thought, but stated, "Yes, well don't expect it to happen again. It was all I could do to get some sleep."

He turned and shut the bathroom door.

As she leaned against the doorframe she heard the water begin to run.

"Right. Not again."

End Chap.

Well? Whattcha think? ...I need more coffee.

Bit of a fluff attack at the end there, I know. You will come to find that I am prone to that and melodrama. Sorry.

Please review, for I shall sure ly succumb to the mind numbing Irish education system if you don't. Please don't leave me to that fate. I don't want a desk job.

Slán lads.


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